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Transformation Office

Overview

SEPTA created the Efficiency & Accountability (E&A) program with the goal of transforming the organization into a more safe, efficient, and accountable organization. The E&A Program is a bottom-up framework to brainstorm, evaluate, prioritize and ultimately implement efficiency initiatives while simultaneously improving the way we collaborate. Launched in 2022, the E&A Program’s inaugural transformation plan contained 140 initiatives collectively estimated to have $102 million in recurring annual benefits. At the end of its implementation timeline, this program is bringing SEPTA $91.4 million in cost savings, new revenues, and employee time efficiencies. 

Building on the success of our fist E&A Program, SEPTA is launching its second set of E&A initiatives in 2025. This plan contains 76 initiatives aimed at making SEPTA a safer, more efficient transit authority and a better workplace for our employees. By combining grassroots employee ideas with strategically aligned corporate initiatives, this plan will help SEPTA achieve lasting changes that will position SEPTA for success in the long-term. These initiatives will be implemented through 2027 and are estimated to bring SEPTA $76 million in cost savings, new revenues, and time efficiencies. 

SEPTA is committed to continuous improvement and adaptability by getting “back to basics” in meeting the needs of all riders, employees, and stakeholders. The E&A Program is successful when change is more than what SEPTA does, it is who we are.

Vision

Mission

The E&A program is driving SEPTA’s transformation into a safe, efficient, and accountable organization by aligning operational improvements with workforce empowerment.​

Process

Employees across our entire organization were instrumental in the creation and implementation of our first transformation plan. By giving our employees the freedom and space to think creatively, as well as the support needed to execute the initiatives identified, we are able to achieve great things. For the creation of the second E&A plan, SEPTA employees submitted hundreds of ideas through our internally created idea-sharing tool ‘SEPTA Solutions.’ These ideas were vetted through an employee-led development process and ultimately reviewed by SEPTA’s leadership team.

Meet the Team

  • Erik Johanson – Senior Director of Budgets and Transformation
  • Ayanna Matlock – Deputy Transformation Officer, Org Health
  • Emily Addis – Deputy Transformation Officer, Performance
  • Sarah Powell – Deputy Transformation Officer, Safety Culture
  • Benjamin Aitoumeziane – Data Analyst

Workstreams

The initiatives are broken down into three Workstreams with dedicated Workstream Leads to ensure initiatives within their area are progressing as planned. Monthly workstream meetings are held to hear updates from Workstream Leads on implementation schedules and key performance indicators (KPIs). These meetings also provide an opportunity to discuss challenges and barriers that initiative owners might be facing. The Transformation Office is here to help minimize obstacles and offer encouragement.

Leveraging Assets

Workstream Leads:
Kenneth Starr
Benjamin Aitoumeziane

People

Workstream Leads:
Melissa Dow
Bresilda Meto
Dana Sedlik
Jeffrey Carpenter
Ayanna Matlock

Process

Workstream Leads:
Frank Zervos
Geoffrey Phillips
Timothy Cornish
Emily Addis

Progress

SEPTA remains dedicated to serving as a responsible steward of public resources and fostering a culture of innovation and accountability. Through the E&A Program, SEPTA aims to position itself as a leader in the transit industry, delivering exceptional service to employees and the communities it serves. SEPTA recognizes that a combination of gradual improvements and large-scale transformations are critical to achieving the program’s goals.

At the end of its third and final year of implementation, the inaugural E&A Program is bringing SEPTA $91.4 million in cost savings, new revenues, and time savings. In 2025, SEPTA is launching the second iteration of its E&A Program. This plan will be implemented from 2025 to 2027 and is estimated to bring SEPTA $76 million in cost savings, new revenues, and time efficiencies.

The initiatives of the E&A Program leverage both best practices and change management strategies to enhance SEPTA’s capabilities. These range from implementing new ways of working, to new strategies for recruiting, training and retaining people.

E&A 1.0 Case Studies

SEPTA continued to make progress in rolling out technology to frontline peers in 2023.

A total of 76 small computers were deployed to cashiers, enabling direct communication between managers and cashiers, and minimizing the amount of time spent by managers delivering printed notices and deviation sheets to cashiers.

By the Numbers:
2023 net realized benefits: $108,824

An insurance Captive is a wholly owned subsidiary of a parent company, in this case SEPTA, that is used to provide alternative risk financing, reduce reliance on commercial insurance, limit volatility and bring down the total cost of risk.

Year 2 Update: In 2023, the SEPTA Board made a decision to form, capitalize and fund SEPTA’s captive insurance company, named Broad Street Risk Solutions. By operating its own insurance captive, SEPTA will be leveraging existing board-restricted funds to seed an innovative method of risk management, leading to long-term transformation of how SEPTA manages risk and significantly reducing it’s risk-related operating costs. According to a feasibility study provided by one of the captive industry’s leading voices, SEPTA expects to recognize savings of $7.9M in risk transfer in 2024, with increases annually expected in the future. Broad Street Risk Solutions is domiciled in the state of Arizona, has an established board of directors, and has retained a captive manager to manage the day-to-day operations of the company. Broad Street Risk Solutions is developing the strategic plan for the captive and will begin underwriting and retaining risk for SEPTA in 2024.

By the Numbers:
Recognized net recurring benefits: $7,900,000

With SEPTA’s current warehouse stock valued at about $137 million, even minor changes in supply chain management practices can yield tremendous savings. SEPTA recognized the need to enhance procurement and inventory management processes to help cut down on the estimated $8.3 million lost each year.

One such enhancement replaces physical inventory count, where 100% of inventory is counted at once (a process that may take several weeks and halt operations), with cycle count assessments of small portions of inventory on a predetermined schedule, while utilizing the inventory KPI to hone in on specific locations.

The second enhancement replaces individual reports and paper-driven manual processes for inventory management, which often lead to errors and annual losses. We started a 3-step auditing process:

  1. The alternate shift to the one that submits the counts, double checks the inventory discrepancies.
  2. The field supervisor performs weekly audits of all high-value discrepancies and ensures all work orders were accurately processed PRIOR to inventory adjustments.
  3. The inventory control team double checks the administrative actions to ensure the paperwork was done correctly and matches the workflow that’s inbound from Ops and the material received due to procurements.

These efforts have already resulted in policy and personnel changes within inventory procedures and produced benefits of $2,110,717 in 2023.

Going forward, these efforts will continue to focus on loss-leaders, high-value and frequently used materials, and further serve to decrease wasted time and inventory losses.

By the Numbers:
2023 net realized benefits: $2,110,717

Achieved 2.02% margin of error against $137 million stock value

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